Picture this: It’s 1990 and you’re in one of, if not the most hotly tipped rock band in the United States. Tons of press, sold out club shows around Southern California and girls lining up as far as the eye can see. Then nothing. The ride comes to an abrupt halt and you’re left scratching your head and wondering where and how it all went wrong. This is the story of Los Angeles’ one time favourite sons Black Bambi, according to the band’s Steven Ray Anastos.
“Basically, we were orphaned. John Carter, our A&R guy, good friend & mentor, parted ways with Atlantic Records right as we were completing the album. The timing could not have been worse. We were left high and dry and there was no coming back from that.”
Now, nearly thirty years after Black Bambi‘s only album was shelved it sees the light of day through 20th Century Music.
20th Century Music is a new reissue record label focusing on the 1975 – 1995 era of popular – and not always so popular – music. This German-American partnership (operating as a division of Vanity Music Group) will concentrate on both licensing material from major and independent record companies as well as uncovering undiscovered gems along the way. Black Bambi is one of their first releases.
Black Bambi initially came together when San Diego transplant Steven Ray Anastos left his band City Slick only to discover than another band from his hometown, Aircraft, had also called it a day. Having admired that band’s material, Anastos decided to call guitarist Ronny Jones to see if they might put something together to test the waters and soon after Steven and the bulk of Aircraft were in business as Black Bambi. “We took off right out of the gate writing new songs and rehearsing nearly every single night. It was a very exciting time and we were very optimistic that we had a sound that was unlike anyone else in Los Angeles at that time” recalls Anastos.
Playing their first show at The Whiskey A Go-Go on New Year’s Eve 1987, the band played a further handful of shows before replacing the the rhythm section with bassist John Grimmett and drummer Dave Casey. “When Ronny & I started looking for a new rhythm section we basically went back to the guys we had played with in previous bands. Dave was in my band City Slick and in Ronny’s band Aircraft, and John and I had played together briefly in Mickey Knight. It came together pretty damn quick and we never looked back.”
At this point the band’s sound became darker and more focused, and there was a buzz of interest from major record labels leading John Carter signing them to Atlantic Records in 1989. The result being they began recording at Enterprise Studios under the direction of producer Beau Hill with plans for the album to be released the following year.
“We had the time of our lives during that recording process,” Anastos says of those times. “It was really a dream come true to be recording with a successful producer such as Beau Hill, and in such a legendary studio. Lots of platinum albums came out of that room and we had very high hopes that we would be the next in line. It was also the high point of the band’s relationship as friends.”
On how the band collaborated he recalled: “Our songs always started with Ronny writing a cool guitar riff, which seemed to come very easily to him back then, and I would write the melody and lyrics. I was reading lots of vampire books at the time and was very much into poetry, Jim Morrison, etc; so lots of the lyrics are a little bit twisted and moody. Again, things always came together effortlessly, and John and Dave certainly added a solid backbone to our sound.”
With recording done, Black Bambi began opening for the likes of Badlands and The Black Crowes, and as were the times presumed major success would soon be winging its way. However, when the aforementioned Carter left Atlantic Records the band suddenly found there was no one in their corner at the label. Leaving the label shortly after, they began showcasing for other major labels with everyone having a different vision for the band than they had for themselves.
“We were broken hearted, man,” said Steven Ray Anastos. “Our dreams were slipping though our fingers and there was absolutely nothing we could do about it. Naturally, the band began to splinter and within a few months we were done. “
Nigh on 30 years passed by. With the subsequent rise of the internet Black Bambi’s various members received countless emails and inquiries from all over the world asking if the album was available and where it could be purchased. “We truly appreciate your interest and your excitement about our lost album, and now we can say yes, it is available,” declared Anastos victoriously.
Available now through 20th Century Music as a limited edition CD (including a booklet with full behind-the-scenes interview feature by the singer) and digitally on iTunes those of us who weren’t there back in the day can finally hear why Black Bambi were once all the rage.
